Parkinsons disease - LRRK2 Gene mutation Identified

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A group of researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Manhattan hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center have isolated a gene mutation which is a major cause of Parkinson’s disease which among Ashkenazi Jewish patients.

The report will be published in today’s issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers of this study believe that this will be the first time that a genetic test can help determine the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease.  Before this there was no genetic test to help to determine the risk.

Parkinsons disease - LRRK2 Gene mutation Identified

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(Best Syndication) Researchers say they have found a gene abnormality that predisposes a person to Parkinson’s disease before the age of 50. The gene abnormality was found in 22 percent of people who were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease before age 50. They found that 10 percent of those with the gene abnormality had Parkinson’s disease after the age of 50.

The gene, called the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene, is mutated in five percent of people without the disease. Of the people with the disease, 14 percent had the gene mutation. The gene mutation is a risk factor for the disease, but obviously it is not the only cause. People with the gene mutation develop Parkinson’s an average of two years earlier than those without the mutation.

Risk Factor For Early Onset of Parkinson's Disease Too

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High Levels of Urate In Blood Lowers Risk For Parkinson’s Disease Progression – Boston Researchers



(Best Syndication) High levels of urate in the blood are associated with slower progression of Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers in Boston. Urate is a derivative of uric acid and is considered a powerful antioxidant. It helps prevent the oxidative process in human cells.

Oxidation damages cells causing “oxidative stress” which can contribute to the loss of brain cells that produce dopamine. This stress and damage to the cells can lead to Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. It seems natural that a powerful antioxidant would have this type of affect.

Low Urate levels Linked To Parkinson's Disease